CHENEY, Wash. — The Eastern Washington Eagles are preparing to kick off college football weekend on Thursday night against the Monmouth Hawks.
A Thursday night game is a bit of a change from their normal schedule and routine, but after starting camp a week earlier this season, they feel well prepared, even for a short week.
It was a tough season last year for Eastern Washington, who went 4-7 with a defense that struggled to give the offense much backup.
"Outside of football we're so close, we're a really close group," junior cornerback DeJean Wells said. "I just want us to be able to translate that to the field and just be able to communicate better on the field."
Something the Eagles have emphasized in camp is the need to bounce back, especially after missing opportunities or giving up big plays. However, doing that at game speed is something they couldn't simulate in camp.
"Once we get punched in the mouth, how are we going to respond? During camp, the defense can have a good day, offense can have a good day, but you have the next day," senior wide receiver Efton Chism III said. "Right now, you don't have the next day, it has to be the next series. So, just kind of see how we can respond that way."
There were, and still are, a lot of questions for Eastern coming into the season. According to head coach Aaron Best, they'll answer them as the season progresses.
"We're always trying to answer questions. We're not trying to find questions, the questions will find us, that's the nature of this sport," Best said. "What we do in the fall, you only get twelve. You prepare so many days in the offseason for the twelve opportunities this fall. It's special. Really special. So, once we have or find or have an answer that may fit that week or that time, we're always trying to scratch and claw for better answers and better ways to do it."
They open their season on the red for the first time since 2022 on Thursday night at 6pm.
